Defer—Wolfram Documentation

yields an object that displays as the unevaluated form of expr, but that is evaluated if it is explicitly given as Wolfram Language input.

Examples

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Basic Examples (2)

By default, arguments are evaluated:

Use Defer to display an unevaluated form:

Copy the previous output and evaluate:

Use Defer to create cells with unevaluated contents:

Properties & Relations (1)

Use HoldForm to display in unevaluated form:

Copy the output and evaluate; the result stays unevaluated:

Use ReleaseHold to force evaluation of the result:

Use Defer to display in unevaluated form:

Copy the output and evaluate:

Possible Issues (1)

Wolfram Research (2007), Defer, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Defer.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2007), Defer, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Defer.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2007. "Defer." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Defer.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2007). Defer. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Defer.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_defer, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Defer}", year="2007", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Defer.html}", note=[Accessed: 22-February-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_defer, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Defer}, year={2007}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Defer.html}, note=[Accessed: 22-February-2026]}